Wakefield swimmer Jess heading to Kenya for open water challenge

Water Babies, now the world’s largest baby swimming school, started in West Yorkshire in 2002 and since then has taught 100,000’s of children a life saving skill as well as a love and respect for water.

And 15-year-old Jess Lilley from Wakefield is one of them.

After learning to swim with Water Babies as a tot, Jess will be heading to an international camp in Kenya later this year and will be helping to fund the trip by taking on a sponsored swim – the equivalent length of Keyna, 1,025km!

Jess has faced many swimming achievements over the years, her biggest being a one-mile open water swim.

"I swam that in a time of 21 minutes and 46 seconds,” she said.

”I also did a 2.5km swim in 38 minutes and 18 seconds.”

Jess, who spends about 12 hours a week in the water, said she has lots of plans for the future.

"I want to swim The Great North Swim 5km in Windermere in less an one hour and 20 minutes next year and I have just been selected to compete at the Yorkshire Swimming Association Championships in February so i’m hoping I can add to my medals there.”

But first, Kenya beckons.

"It was a great opportunity to go to Kenya that came to school and I decided raising money to achieve this by swimming the equivalent length of Kenya would be a great challenge!”

As for the future, Jess has great ambitions.

”I would love to compete in the next Olympics 10km Open Water competition in 2028!

Jess’ mum, Karen, said she Jess to Water Babies classes when she was just four-months-old.

"Being able to start to young was just so important and the first thing I could do as an activity with Jess.

"Swimming is a big part of my life and it was important to me that Jess also got such an important life skill.”

Karen said her fondest memories of Water Babies was making new friends.

"One of my best friends now is someone I met at my first Water Babies class.”

If you would like to sponsor Jess you can visit her Gofundme page here.